8 Year Old Boy from Ivory Coast Found in Suitcase at Spanish Border in Botched Smuggling Attempt

An 8-year-old boy from Ivory Coast was found locked up in a suitcase in a failed smuggling attempt into Spain.

CNN reports that he was bundled up tightly in a fetal position, in a pink, medium-sized polyester suitcase, that also contained a few personal belongings. He was locked up in the suitcase for several hours.

The boy, who is now in custody of Spanish police, was discovered Thursday in El Tarajal, a terrestrial point of entry at Spain’s border with Morocco.

According to the report, here is how the boy was discovered:

On Thursday, police officers in El Tarajal became suspicious when a 21-year-old woman, a Moroccan National, showed signs of nervousness as she attempted to cross the border wheeling the suitcase down the street.

“Our officers asked her if she needed help as the wheels began to give in,” a police spokesman said.

Suspecting a drug smuggling case, police brought the suitcase in for an x-ray. That is when they found the boy.

He was immediately taken to a state child custodian and awaits judicial process, the official said.

A man who is apparently his father, identified as A.O., was arrested a few hours after the boy was found. The man, who has permanent residency in Spain, awaits formal charges.

aww wait so his father was trying to get him into spain? he’s father has been in spain why couldn’t he apply for visa for the son.I don’t understand this is sad . And you can’t tell me they didn’t see that booy in x ray before entering spain so doubt he was in that luggage during flight.what’s the story I don’t understand can’t parents file for their kids in spain?

His father has permanent residency but paid smugglers to put his little child in a suitcase? Doesn’t make sense! I’m sure there were other easier and legal ways to get his son to join him. A lot of people are ignorant about migration laws but want to migrate. It is more expensive to pay a smuggler than to migrate through legal channels. Smugglers can charge as much as $50,000…smh…. They are lucky the child is alive. The only thing that will stop the suffering and death of migrants during the migration process is education in their home countries about the realities and costs of smuggling.